Rowling Won't Publish Potter Encyclopedia

Yesterday, J. K. Rowling made a revised statement on her Official Site about the future of the Harry Potter Encyclopedia. This is the book over which the author sued fan Steve Vander Ark, founder of the Harry Potter Lexicon Website. Rowling won the 2008 suit in theory, but she was only awarded a pittance - around $3,000, which barely covered her air fare from Britain - and Vander Ark was forced to make changes to the cover. However, since American copyright law allows for the publishing of scholarly reference guides under the terms of Fair Use, eventually the HP Lexicon was published in 2009 (available on Amazon).

During the trial, JKR expressed hopes of eventually publishing her own encyclopedia,  known to fans as "The Scottish Book" because the author once quipped it was like the play Macbeth and no one should speak its name or bad luck would ensue. However it seems she has opted for now to release material on Pottermore only.

Via Leaky Cauldron

In an update on J. K. Rowling's website, the author makes quite clear that plans to publish a physical copy of a Harry Potter Encyclopaedia are not on the horizon. The entry, updated May 2012, reads:

What about the Harry Potter Encyclopaedia?
Updated May 2012
I have been enjoying sharing information about Harry’s world on Pottermore for free, and don’t have any firm plans to publish it in book form.

This statement replaces the April update on her website where she said "For a long time I have been promising an encyclopaedia of Harry’s world, and I have started work on this now – some of it forms the new content in Pottermore. It is likely to be a time-consuming job, but when finished I shall donate all royalties to charity.

Today Bloomsbury announced a three-book set called The Hogwarts Library that will include the three "schoolbooks" from Hogwarts including Quidditch Through the Ages, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and Beedle the Bard. Digital Spy reports: "The set will reportedly be released sometime in the autumn, though a precise date has not yet been established."

For larger view of the books, click Here